


Day 305

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [305]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:55:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27340834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [305]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 2





	Day 305

Brennan locked into the shield wall. They were the only things holding back the angry mob that was descending on the Alienage. She didn’t know what had set them off but it really didn’t matter at this point. A few of her men had already been burned by boiling oil thrown by the rioters. It was all easily curable with magical healing but for the time being they would have to endure the full pain of the burns. Merrill was doing what she could but she had never been the best healer. It was times like these that Brennan really wished that mages were allowed in the guards.

“Brace,” someone called and Brennan dropped her weight just in time to absorb the force of the next charge. She was rocked back by the force but the guards behind her managed to stabilize her, and the rest of the front lines with their shields.

They had not managed to shut the gates before the mob had arrived and they had formed a line at the bottom of the long staircase. It was far from ideal, but Brennan's people were trained to work as a group and the mob as a mass of individuals. So far they had not managed to break the line. A few had managed to jump over the guards and land in the Alienage, but the elves, led by Noll, had positioned themselves in front of the great tree, catching the humans before they reached the sacred plant.

A few of the rioters tried to grab Brennan, to pull her out of formation but a few sharp thwacks from her blackjack drove them back. Whatever these people’s grievance was, they seemed to be beyond the point of caring about their own safety. The press of people backup off for a moment.

“Replace,” Brennan called out and the entire line moved back a step, letting new bodies form a new front line. Brennan now braced the woman in front of her, ready for the next charge. Those who were in the back moved off for a few minutes of rest. This was the line would tire slower than the mob, and if their luck held, it would hold until reinforcements arrived. A few minutes later Brennan was out of the line resting by the tree.

“What’s gotten into them,” she wondered out loud.

“It seems they think we took their work,” Noll said. They took a seat beside Brennan. “The Champion, in his infinite wisdom, came here to look for folk to help with his latest pity project. Only, according to the guild, any work in the human part of Lowtown should come through them, and work has been scarce all around these days. So naturally they blame us for having the audacity to take the work offered to us.”

Brennan was still thinking of a response when the sound of reinforcements came from the top of the stairs. Brennan rushed back to reinforce the shield wall while Aveline, Donnic, and the Champion led the charge down from the top. Caught with nowhere to go most of the rioters surrendered or were quickly subdued. Brennan let her men take a well-earned rest while the rest of the guards hauled off the defeated rioters. 

“I’m sorry,” Hawke said to Noll and the other elves. “I should have paid more attention to-”

“Spare us your apologies,” Noll spat. “Even when you try to help us you make things worse. You and the other nobles are supposed to by taking care of the city, at least that’s what you claim. Otherwise you’re just rich assholes in tiny castles. Shit rolls down hill,” they gestured to the staircase leading to the Alienage for emphasis, “and there is no shortage of shit here.”

Hawke made no response to the elf. What could he even say to that. He simply healed the injuries Brennan’s men sustained cleaning up his mess and then left. Brennan would have liked to believe that would be the end of the Alienage’s troubles, but she knew better.


End file.
